


Jack's First Christmas Holiday with Mark's Family

by ONeillwith2ls



Series: Shipmas2020 [9]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:48:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28173441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ONeillwith2ls/pseuds/ONeillwith2ls
Summary: Written as part of #Shipmas 2020To be read between chapters 22 and 23 of UnravelMore time with Mark and his family before they head to the cabin.
Relationships: Samantha "Sam" Carter/Jack O'Neill
Series: Shipmas2020 [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2063742
Comments: 35
Kudos: 63





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of my unravel story, although I suppose its not too hard to folow as a one off.

"Uncle Jaaaaccccckkk!" He heard his name as Jack and Sam entered the Mark’s house. Immediately, he recognised the little girl’s voice anywhere.

"Lisa," he grinned, bending down slightly, and catching her mid-air as she jumped into his arms.

"I knew you'd keep your promise." Her excited voice told him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"And risk not keeping a promise to a Carter? Never!" He asked Lisa but grinning at Sam, who shook her head and giggled. “No giggling, Carter!” Which made both Carter women giggle more, since neither were certain whether he meant Sam or Lisa. 

Mark came to the door, trailing behind Lisa's whirlwind path and smiled at his sister. "Hey, Sammy, you made it." Mark said, giving his sister a hug before patting Jack on his shoulder, whose arms were still full of the littlest Carter.

"We told you we would." Sam protested, knowing her brother thought of all the previous cancelled visits – both hers and their dad’s. Inwardly, it made Sam sad thinking about lost time as a family. Jack carefully leaned over and nudged her shoulder as he carefully tried to comfort Sam. They looked into each other’s eyes as they had a private conversation.

‘You okay?’ 

‘Yes, thank you.’

‘Anytime’.

"No 'Top Secret' emergencies?" Mark asked, jokingly. Sam pulled her eyes away from Jack to look at her brother. She smiled at him as she shook her head.

"None Carter hasn't figured out how to solve before we left the Springs." Jack interjected.

Sam turned pink and shrugged her shoulders. "Sometimes they just work themselves out." 

Jess hugged Sam and then Jack briefly as she tried to take her daughter from her new best friend, who refused to let go of the General. She looked at them and offered her condolences. "Sam said a colleague died. We're sorry. Two funerals that close together must have been hard."

Jack nodded and answered her. “Yeah. Doctor Langford worked on the program with Sam before I was even involved. She was an amazing lady."

"Hey Jack!" David was heard as he came sliding to a halt in front of Jack. "Did you bring the PS2?" He asked almost desperately.

"I dunno, guys, guess you'll need to check the rental --- say, on the floor behind the front passenger seat." He said, shifting Lisa to one side of his body as he dangled the keys in front of them. David and Lisa laughed as Lisa grabbed the keys and started kicking her legs to get down, so Jack released her. The adults watched as she ran out the door with her brother close behind. “Stay in the driveway!” The adults yelled.

Jack had decided to bring it only because he knew that the kids would enjoy it. What they didn’t know was Jack planned on leaving it there, knowing he would have little opportunity to play it when he moved to Washington. While leaving it with Sam wouldn’t be a problem, he intended that any free time with Sam wouldn’t involve video games.

"Did you fly?" Mark asked Sam as they walked into the living room.

"Civilian flight. We picked up the car at the airport."

"I heard you have family near here, Jack?" Jess asked him as they all took a seat. Sam and Jack sat on the sofa together. His arm automatically went around her shoulders as they settled back; Sam's hand grabbed his hand that fell loosely on his lap so their fingers were intertwined. Jess’ smile got bigger as she noticed the easy intimacy between the couple.

"My cousin, Mac, lives in LA and works for a think tank there." Jack answered.

"Wow! Really?" Jess asked.

"Yeah." Jack said, with a grin to Sam.

"It’s not too far." Mark remarked.

"We're heading up there before catching a flight out to Minnesota after we leave here. One last team get-together at Jack's cabin before we all go our separate ways." Sam told them.

Jess smiled then jumped in with, "You two look so good together!" 

Sam blushed prettily, as she turned and dug her nose against Jack’s shoulder.

"Gotta admit, sis, you look happy." Mark told her. When they left Colorado Springs, he was hopeful that what he thought he saw between his sister and her former boss was too rushed. She had broken her engagement to his former friend and buried their dad a few days later. He first feared that it was a rebound relationship, despite Sam’s reassurance. But when they got back to San Diego, he thought about what he saw and what they both said about their relationship and he realized that he was totally off-base. 

She moved her head to look at her brother to feel Jack pull her closer. "I am, Mark," she said barely keeping the joy in. "I really really am!"

After Mark helped Jack grab their luggage from the rental, Jess offered to escort them to their room. The kids had returned and set up the PS2 in the living room. Mark sat with the kids to wait for Jess’ return. He watched the kids absently, not really paying attention to their laughter.

He thought about his sister and her…. General. Today, seeing them together, he was internally thrilled to see the relationship had blossomed even further. There was a steadfastness between them that seemed to have strengthened their relationship since his father’s funeral. And that’s when he had an epiphany.

The last time he had witnessed a similar relationship to this… was his parents. Mom and Dad were just the same way until… the accident. 

For all his faults and failings, Mark Carter realized far too late how much his parents loved each other – and that the loss of his wife had left Jacob Carter a wounded man who turned to his military life to help him through his sorrow and depression. Something in that moment told him something had changed the last few years, but it had brought his father back to him.

* * *

"This room is--" he stared at the furniture in the bedroom while Sam had an amused look on her face.

"Very modern?" She questioned Jack.

"Very— very -- and everything is so--"

"Slick?" Sam questioned. Jack looked at her worried. "Don't worry… I don't like it either." She chuckled, opening her large carry-on which somehow had all the clothes she'd need for too warm California and way too cool Minnesota. 

"But you were raised together!" Jack asked, a perplexed look on his face. "How could your tastes be this different?" 

Sam laughed as she sat on the bed and looked at Jack. "My mom kept so much tradition in the house, you know, wood and stone. I guess that's why I love your house so much. it reminds me of her." She confessed as Jack took a seat beside her. "Dad didn't change a single thing in the house after my mom died. So, I guess to Mark, it wasn't a reminder of what he had, but rather what he lost. I think he also associated it with a controlling General, sir."

Jack looked surprised. "Forgive me, but Carter, I can't imagine Dad being like that." 

Sam sighed as she thought about the dichotomy of Jacob Carter before and after the joining with Selmak.

"You only really knew him after Selmak." Sam observed, "And to be honest, that was really when I got to know him better too." Sam took a deep breath as she explained. "After mom died, it seemed as though Dad really didn't mourn mom at all. He'd tell us that it was the 'Carter' way to be strong and keep our heads held high. Throughout our teenage years, both Mark and I hated him for it."

“Being a girl, I guess I had an excuse not be strong, but Mark--" She grimaced as she remembered the arguments between her father and brother. "He was ten! He was a little boy who just lost his mommy, and he was expected to bear this burden because Dad, it seemed, wouldn't. When he was old enough, it pushed Mark right out the house. In a way, it forced me to join the Air Force--" she explained. 

She was lost in her memories. Her voice was filled with emotions as she continued. "It wasn't after I had finished my training and first few assignments that I started to realize, what was 'the General' and what was 'dad.“ She looked at Jack, unconsciously grabbing his hand for comfort. “You must remember the way he was at the Air Medal presentation in Washington – when I first learned of his cancer. Even when he was dying in the hospital, it was the tough General who I remember the most.

“And then there was the Jacob Carter after he was joined. There were more facets to my father now. Sometimes it was very confusing. I remember him before mom died and then even glimpses of him after, all of who he was came rushing back. It was only since the joining that I really learned who and what Dad was. All three versions." She shook her head trying to get it all clear in her memory. 

"I look back on those years now, and I see the man who struggled with his career and his family, the sense of family history, his sense of loyalty. I see his humour, his--" she paused struggling for a moment searching for the right words "trepidation. I mean it can't have been easy after mom died… a teenage genius daughter and a preteen son, after mom died… he lost the love of his life and we -- treated him -- so badly. We didn’t know he was struggling the whole time because he had his General face on always--" 

"So, Mark pushed it all away." Jack nodded and looked around. "Kinda makes sense now."

"Yeah." She nodded. "I’m lucky. Because of Selmak, I had those years, all those extra years with him. Even when he still treated me like a child, he also learned to respect me. He showed me in so many different ways of how much he loved me. I got to serve with him. He was an incredible man!"

"That he was." Jack smiled, turning his hand in hers and kissing the back of it gently. "Sometimes perspective really helps us sort through what we went through when we were less experienced. When I saw Cromwell again--" he shook his head "it wasn't the same as I felt before with what happened with me and SG-10, but he lost his life for strangers -- it really put what happened into perspective." 

She reached over and kissed him gently. "I'm sorry you got left behind." She whispered to him. "I'm know that sometimes I let my scientific curiosity get the better of me. I almost forgot about those men." She said quietly.

He shrugged. "You were young and curious, Sam."

"The way you told me to remember those men--" she shivered "I never forgot it."

"It’s what makes you so good, you learn--" he smiled, threading his fingers through her hair. "so fast."

She shrugged and looked into his eyes. "I learned from the best."

His hand came down onto her cheek and he caressed it gently. A pretty blush appeared at her cheeks.

"So, you and Jess going to the salon tomorrow?" He grinned.

"Yeah, hair, manicures, pedicures--"

"Good, that's good." He grinned, asking as he ran his hand through her hair. "You going to cut your hair?”

"A restyle. I don't want much taken off."

"Oh?"

"I like to have it a little longer when I'm in a relationship. I like it when men play with my hair." She confessed shyly.

"Oh." He said, sounding disappointed.

"You like it short?" She asked him, confused.

"You look beautiful however you do your hair. Just style it how you like. It’s just--" he trailed off, looking a bit bewildered as he started studying his feet. 

"Just?" She asked.

"The last time you had it longer was just before Thera.” 

"And?"

"Were you with someone?"

"What? No, I wasn’t with anyone.” She denied. “But in a way, I was growing it long for--" she stopped suddenly and swallowed. "F-for you." She confessed quietly.

"What?" He asked, shocked, as his eyes came up to look at her.

"I just -- I wanted you… to find me--" she trailed off quietly. She bit her bottom lip gently. "I -- um--" She took a deep breath in and out to calm herself and she closed her eyes as her words rushed out. "I didn't want you to just see me as one of the guys, which is all I thought you saw me as. So I started to grow it long… so you might see me… that I was a woman."

Jack grinned widely, taking his fingers under her chin, his eyes filled with love for her. 

"I wanted you to find me attractive." She continued in a whisper.

Jack’s jaw dropped. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He tangled one hand in her hair and gently tipped her face up and kissed her soundly. His other hand snaked under her top and his thumb brushed across her nipple . She gasped then giggled at his touch, clearly delighted and aroused. 

He pulled back slightly, rubbing his nose against hers. "I never mistook you for one of the men, let me tell yah." He said breathlessly. "You can wear your hair however you want to. I find you irresistible regardless."

* * *

The next day, while the girls were away, the men headed down to the beach with the kids in Jess’ minivan.

"I can't believe you didn't have a wet suit, Uncle Jack." David said to him.

"Or a surfboard." Lisa giggled.

“It’s December, It’s cold where I’m from, and we don't have a coastline in Colorado." He said matter-of-factly, a grin on his face. "Besides, I can cowabunga with the best of them. At least out of an airplane." He frowned as the kids giggled. "Can Carter do it?" Jack asked, a little put out.

"Auntie Sam is the best at it!" Lisa exclaimed.

"Course she is." Jack mumbled, realizing that there wasn’t anything Carter couldn’t do, which made Mark laugh.

"How come you do that?" David asked him.

"Hm? Do what?" Jack asked.

"You call Auntie Sam 'Carter' all the time. Why?" David asked.

"Well," Jack started slowly, choosing his words so the kids would understand. "Your aunt and I were on the same team for seven years, which is a long time in the Air Force, and we tend to refer to each other as Colonel, General or Captain with our last name. We were close as a team, so our ranks sometimes seemed impersonal, but we weren’t really allowed to get really close, like friends. And using our first names might appear too familiar so I started to call her ‘Carter’. It’s kind of an endearing term now." He admitted. “Besides no one else calls her that. Just me.”

"What about when you worked with Grandpa?" Lisa asked, "Wasn't that confusing?"

"No, umm, Grandpa asked us to call him as Jacob, so it was less confusing." Without meaning to, he added. “I sometimes called him ‘Dad’ and never called me out on it.” 

Mark looked surprised. "Wow! He must have really liked you to be that informal." To Mark, growing up with his dad was very formal. No one outside of Mark and his sister ever called the General ‘Dad’ without getting into trouble and being at the wrong end of a lecture.

"Well, I really liked him too." Jack told them.

There was idle chitchat between Jack and Mark as the kids soon tired of the conversation. Soon after at the beach, the kids went running off with their boards towards the water. "So which wave am I hitting first?" Jack asked Mark.

Mark chuckled and pointed towards a young boy around five being guided by his father on the water’s edge. “Let’s start you there.” Mark grinned.

Jack looked downcast before he headed towards the water’s edge. "Not the kiddies class." He moaned.

Mark laughed. Jack O’Neill was definitely a different kind of General compared to his father.

* * *

"How are you girls?" Mark asked as his wife and Sam returned from their day at the spa.

"We're all relaxed and girled up." Jess smiled. "Sam wouldn't get anything on her hands other than a clear varnish." Jess told the boys.

"I am going fishing immediately after this." Sam smiled. "But my feet are alight like Vegas!" 

"I'll look forward to that later." Jack said as she landed in his arms, then he gave her a quick kiss. "You only went for a trim after all." He whispered to her.

"I said I liked it played with." She whispered back. Sam nodded, giving him a private smile.

"You know Jack was a regular surfer out there." Mark told his sister.

"Really?" Sam smiled.

"I got to ride the big waves." Jack smiled.

Sam looked at her brother who shook his head and mouthed silently. "Small, very small."

Sam laughed, giving him a quick kiss. "That's great."

"We're barbecuing." Mark told Sam.

"I'll go and get changed." Sam said brightly, "Then maybe I can show off my toes." She said before she left the kitchen, fully knowing that Jack always found her nail polished toes highly erotic.

Jack looked nervously towards Mark and Jess as Sam left. Once he knew Sam was out of earshot, Jack nervously turned to the other man. "Hey, Mark, can I ask you something?" 


	2. Blunder Buster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The holidays continue and drama ensues!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So despite taking a break from posting it didn't stop me writing!
> 
> I got this off to my beta and its all complete now so while she's betaing Unravel here is a insert chapters to the holiday they had with Mark.
> 
> So you know if you're not following this or unravel, there's nothing which will not make sense in Unravel as a result of these chapters, so where this can be read as a one off, the plot in Unravel is easily woven in and out.

"Morning, Sam." Mark smiled, as he expertly flipped another pancake as she and Jack walked into the kitchen. "Jack."

"Morning, Auntie Sam. Uncle Jack." The kids chorused as they sat at the breakfast table.

"Morning, Mark." She grinned. 

"Hey sproglets." Jack grinned at them as they giggled. “Mark.”

"Sleep well?" Mark asked politely.

"Yes, that mattress is really comfortable. Two nights in a row." She told him as she opened the refrigerator and reached for the fresh orange juice.

"Morning!" Jess said, breezing in and kissing each of the kids. "Brushed your teeth?" She asked them.

Both kids sighed and Jess laughed as Mark turned to look at the kids. "Come on. We need to move; mom needs to get to work and daddy has a meeting 9am sharp he needs to be in school." 

"But mom, we're officially in the last week before we have winter break. We literally don't do anything." David complained.

"Can't we stay with Auntie Sam and Uncle Jack?" Lisa pleaded.

"No, teeth brushed now." Jess gently ordered them.

"Morning paper?" Sam whispered to Mark who chuckled at her request.

"Probably out on the porch." He whispered back, laughing to himself as she nodded absentmindedly before moving to get the newspaper. 

She opened the front door and smiled when she noticed that it was the national newspaper with the crossword puzzle she favored. She leaned over and picked it up to turn around to Jess standing behind her in the hallway.

"I love the crossword." Sam said, slightly embarrassed as she clutched the paper to her chest. 

"That’s okay, Sam. The crossword gets wasted in this house." She smiled before she abruptly changed the subject. "Sam, have you met Jack's cousin?" 

Sam smiled immediately. "Yes I have. In fact, a few times.He’s a good friend."

"Where did you say he worked again?"

"The Phoenix Foundation. It’s a think tank based in LA." She said with a smile, knowing the cover story for the top-secret agency. "He actually tried to retire from it back in the nineties but when more help was needed, they coaxed him into being the vice president." Sam laughed. "Not being able to stay retired definitely runs in that family!"

* * *

"Two days in a row, middle of December, and it’s above 60F out." Jack told her, wrapping his fingers in hers as they strolled along the Ocean Beach Pier. "And I get to watch you without having to pretend I'm actually doing something else."

Sam smiled. "Oh really?" She laughed. "Like when?" 

"Like when we're out in the field and you would walk ahead just a little. Now I don't have to pretend I'm not watching your fine six." He whispered in her ear.

Sam giggled. "You're not the only one." 

"Oh? You did, huh?" Surprise in his voice as he turned to look at her.

"I thought you might have caught me a couple of times." 

"I hoped, once or twice." He smiled as his hand lets go of hers and he wrapped his arm around her.

"Certainly did more than hoped." She said shyly, biting down on her lip and her eyebrows rising.

"Oh, you liked what you saw?" He flirted.

"Very much." She flirted back.

"Right back atcha." He whispered to her as they paused in their walk. He looked intently in her eyes before he pulled her close and kissed her soundly.

"Jack!" She managed breathlessly when their lips finally parted. Her cheeks were flushed, and her irises dilated, but there was something shy about the way her eyes darted around them.

"It's okay. It’s okay, Sam. No one knows us here. It doesn't matter here." He reminded her, giving her a gentle hug. "And I know public displays of affection isn't much our thing--"

"I'll say!" She exclaimed.

"I just wanted to…" Jack explained to her. "Just to let you know I'm not ashamed."

She sighed, her arms coming up to rest on top of his as his hands securely rested on her waist, securely holding her in place. "Neither am I." She assured him as she reached up and pecked him on the lips. 

"Anyway, " he said as they turned to continue their walk along the pier. "This is California. I can't have one of these muscles-bound men sweep in and take you off me."

"Jack." She giggled, pressing her nose against his shoulder.

"Oh, I'm serious about that one." He told her. "You're gorgeous and any one of these guys would be more than happy to take my place."

"I quite fancy the one I'm with, and I've seen all the great things he has to offer--" she said, her hand sliding up his arm and slipping just under the hem of his t-shirt to feel the muscle underneath. She couldn't help the clench between her legs or the involuntarily closing of her eyes, and when she opened them she could see the very smug looking Jack O’Neill grinning like a Cheshire cat at her. "Shut up!" She exclaimed blushing.

"You stare at my arms?" He asked her, unconsciously flexing his arm muscles, and was taken aback by the look of arousal in Sam’s eyes. 

"Yes. Not just your biceps." She confessed quietly. "Your forearms, your hands, your fingers, your six…." she ended with a wistful sound to her voice.

"Your hips, your breasts, the crook of your neck." He admitted softly.

Sam looked at him surprised then grinned. "Really?" She asked him. 

"Your eyes." He said quietly "I always loved your eyes."

For a few minutes, they stared lovingly into each other’s eyes, not seeing any of the other tourists on the pier. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, Sam cleared her throat as she pulled her eyes away.

"Hey, there's fishing here!" She said, surprised. "Oh, and a fishing shop. Hey, should I buy my own rod and reel?" She said smiling.

He looked around and saw some people around them fishing off the pier and frowned. "I don't know, Sam, I don't think these people get what fishing is about." He told her.

Sam looked around and figured people did actually know what they were doing, but as always with Jack, he presents himself as the average Joe, but is in fact much more complex.

"The fishing--" She paused in mid-sentence and then a wave of genius swept over her. "It isn’t about the fish, is it?" 

He smiled. "That's what I love about you, Carter, you've always catch on fast."

"Well, how about we don't make it about the fish?" She asked him.

He looked at her baffled. "I'm not following. I'm pretty sure everyone here--"

"I don't care about everyone else." She scoffed. "I want you to teach me the basics of fishing, so that when we get round to the very serious fishing at your cabin, I don't feel like a fool and not know how to pretend I'm doing something I'm really not."

He was quiet for a moment as his brain tried to work through her trail of thought. Finally, he raised his eyebrows, his bottom lip protruded just a moment before he answered. "Well, I'd hate to stand in the way of you not doing something you really know how to do."

"Yes!" She exclaimed before taking him by the hand and dragging him into the little fishing shop. "Look, it even has a place to eat right next door." 

"I wonder if it has cake?"

* * *

It was one of those days longed for by a high school teacher. The periods before and after lunch were both free, his marking was up to date, and, with the holidays around the corner, he had no meetings nor classes to plan so Mark headed to the Old Town not far from the railway station. 

It was a busy market with many multicultural booths; Mexican, Native American and Spanish were all represented with jewellery, shoes, clothes, and food. Mark was a quiet man for the most part, but he felt as though history surrounded him whenever he came to this part of town. There were old buildings and a real sense of community which he found comforting.

He went into the marketplace to a familiar booth and started to look at some small wooden toys he would often pick up for the kids whenever he was in this part of town. David would scoff and roll his eyes; maybe he was getting a little old for the tradition, but Lisa had kept all of hers, and had them neatly lined up on her dresser. He casually looked around for a moment while waiting for the stall owner, only to see a familiar face in the crowd. 

Mark had to admit he was surprised to see him there, but it wasn't miles out of the way of the beach he supposed they had wanted to visit. Maybe they had come up here for something to eat. What was surprising however was that he appeared to know the stall owner of a Native American shop. It was strange because he hadn't mentioned any ties to San Diego and now, here he was chatting casually and apparently asking about an unusual item in his hand. 

Another strange thing was, he realized, was that she was nowhere to be seen. 

Mark thought it odd enough. Once he paid for his items, he started towards him, but stopped in his tracks by the sudden appearance of a blonde.

That's when Mark got mad-- no scrub mad. Angry. Rage was building up within Mark as he watched the man wrapped his arm around the blonde's shoulder and kissed her gently with a grin on his face.

Mark brought out his cell phone and dialled the familiar number, glad that he hadn’t deleted it yet. He waited for the person to pick up before he said shortly, "Hey, it’s Mark. Look, you want to get back with her? Come here, now. Jump on the next flight, “He paused for a moment to listen. “I'll tell you when you get here but we have to confront them tonight. Yah, see you later, bud."

Mark was now fuming as he saw the man, still with his arm around her, laugh into the blonde's hair and give a handshake to the store owner before they walked away in each other’s arms.

Only that blonde was not his sister.

And that man was… Jack O’Neill. 

* * *

Mark could barely contain his anger during the rest of the school day, the students he had last period were baffled by their normally even tempered teacher suddenly snapping at the slightest misdeed. And his mood was not improved when he arrived home. Mark stormed into the house where he saw his wife, sister and so-called boyfriend playing with the kids on the PlayStation. He threw daggers at Jack before Sam noticed him standing in the doorway of the room.

"Hey Mark, you're home." She said cheerfully.

"Yah, I'm here." He answered, his anger melting slightly at her soft and happy greeting. He knew in a little while she'd be heartbroken, her ideals crushed, because Jack O’Neill was not who she thought he was, and it devastated him. 

"Come see Lisa completely wipe the floor with Jack." Sam requested of him.

"I don't know what kind of women you're raising here--" Jack started.

"One that knows when she's being cheated, I think."

Jack looked at him a little oddly along with the other adults in the room. He wondered what brought about Mark’s complete change in behavior from this morning. He wrote it off as something that upset him at school. 

Mark gave a huge sigh as they all turned back to the game.

"I’m going to get changed and head straight out, Are you okay taking everyone in the minivan to the restaurant?" He asked Jess.

"Sure, but I think Jack was planning on driving Sam and him, so I’ll catch a ride with them. You're going early?" She asked.

"Not really, just need to take care of something before tonight."

"Okay. The babysitter should be here any minute." She smiled. "Seven sharp."

"I'll be there."

Mark headed out and straight up to the airport. He waited in Departures for the familiar fair hair and brown eyes of his friend. It was obvious that he had come straight off the cuff as he carried no bags. 

Mark approached him with a smile. "Hey Buddy."

"Mark." He acknowledged a nervous smile at his face. "What's all this about?"

Mark took a couple of deep breaths then looked at his friend. "I can't believe I'm doing this." He said, shaking his head. "I need you to tell me about the kind of pull Jack O’Neill has on Sam."

"Why?" The man asked in return.

"He's cheating on her. He had us all fooled and Sam the most. I need your help to get her out of the relationship. You’re right. He's dangerous. You were right all along, and we let him fool us. Help me get Sam away from him. I know once she's seeing sense again, she'll come back to you."

"Yeah, yeah yeah, of course I will." The man readily agreed.

"Thanks Pete."

* * *

"Tell me what you know?" Pete asked Mark as they sat down for coffee.

"I went down to Old Town Market and he was there, and he was with some blonde and it wasn't Sam, what else do I need to know." Mark exclaimed. "Tell me about her work. How he manipulated her."

"Well, we'd be on dates and he would call part way through, and all of a sudden it was like if she didn't go it would be the end of the world and she'd just snap into Major Carter mode, like she was a little toy soldier to play with you know."

"Blind orders." Mark nodded.

"I knew there was something going on between them! You know she denied it every time I asked her. I bet he had her on call for more than just work, there's no way they hadn't had sex together." He told Mark. "You know for sure it was him?"

"Unless he has a twin we don't know about. Please forgive her." Mark pleaded with his buddy. "She has no idea how much control she's under, I bet he got her believing she loved him, I bet he saw how happy she was with you and got jealous."

"Then convinced her not to marry me." Pete agreed. "You know he ordered her to base the day we were picking flowers. It was meant to be her day off, but she was there!"

"Help me help her see straight.. Be the one who comforts her, she'll realise what a mistake she's made."

"I'll be there, buddy." He said with a smile, Inwardly, he was pleased that he would get his pound of flesh if he could break those two up. They had made a fool out of him and he wasn’t going to stand for it. 

"Thanks, Pete."


	3. Seeing Double

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It only hits Mark when he's seeing double!

At seven sharp, Mark approached his family's table and sat next to his wife. Sam sat next to an empty chair at the table, with Jack on the other side. A fifth place setting was in front of the empty chair. He didn’t question how Jess knew about their surprise guest.

"I hope you don't mind. We have a last minute addition." Mark whispered to Jess, nodding to the empty seat.

"What are you talking about?" Jess asked him, confused. “How? Who?”

"You'll see." Mark said to her. He casually picked up the menu as if he wanted his target to feel comfortable before he attacked. "So, Jack," he said louder as he turned his attention towards Jack. "How was your day?"

A small smiled appeared on both their lips. Jack had never tried to teach a woman how to fish before. How was he to know just how much fun it would be to stand so close from behind her, his arms around hers, showing her hook line and sinker. Wait! Wasn't that her catching him hook line and sinker? He wasn’t so sure anymore, but he did know he loved having his arms around her, their hips close and her neck angled in the perfect kissing position. "It was good." He managed to answer, as he tried to calm his body. Seeing his reaction, Sam gave him a little smirk.

"I got my own fishing rod, ready for my trip up to the cabin." She said a smile on her face as she finished answering for Jack. She was clearly excited about the trip.

"It’s not a bad rod considering." Jack admitted. 

"Did you catch many fish?" Jess asked.

"Yeah, but we threw them back in." Sam smiled.

"You should have seen the size of the halibut we caught!" Jack grinned.

"We should send them a copy of the pictures." Sam told him.

"Oh? You have pictures!" Jess smiled.

"Jack brought his camera." Sam admitted.

He shrugged. "Hey, I'm finally getting you up to my cabin. I'm going to need photographic evidence you were there," which made Sam laugh, "after eight years of trying." He finished, taking her by the hand and kissing the back of it.

"Where did you go for lunch?" Mark asked sternly. 

Jack sat up slightly, something in Mark’s tone alerted the soldier in him to pay closer attention to the conversation at hand. In one quick glance, Jack noticed the attack position of the younger man. His mind’s eye began to quickly review all conversations with Mark during the past 24 hours since their arrival. Other than that, one private conversation last night, there was nothing that was said or discussed that would have triggered this type of reaction.

"Oh, at a cafe on the pier." Sam answered. "Right next door to the fishing shop."

"Not up at the Old Market?" Mark’s tone was sharp as Sam realized that he was about to go off on something. There were times that Mark was so much like their dad. For a moment, that thought sobered her response.

Jess, Jack, and Sam all looked at him confused. None of them understood Mark’s latest dinner topic. 

"I'm, umm, I'm not sure where--" Jack started to answer, looking to Sam for help.

"We stayed on the pier all day. Mark." Sam told him.

"You sure?" Mark asked, his face frozen angry. "Nowhere near, say a Native American stall?" Mark asked sarcastically.

Jess leaned over and quickly whispered to him. "Mark, what's going on?" 

"I'll tell you what’s going on," he told his wife. "I saw you there today, Jack."

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked, dumbfounded at Mark’s accusations.

"Look, he had us all fooled, Sam, but he's been the manipulator not Pete." He accused Jack in a loud voice.

"What are you--?" Sam started but stopped suddenly at the sight of her ex who was making his way to their table. "Pete?" She questioned before she looked at Mark. "W-what are you doing?"

"I saw Jack with someone else today, Sam. I saw him!"

Sam looked at Mark like he was crazy "What? That's impossible." 

"And I know you broke it off with Pete to be with  **him** ," Mark continued heedlessly, ignoring Sam’s denials, his voice rising. "But it’s not too late. Pete will take you back."

Pete finally reached their table and stood at the empty chair next to Sam.

"Pete will --" she scoffed and took a deep breath. "Mark, I don't know what you think you saw, but Jack was with me all day. We went to the washrooms separately. At tops, we were apart for about ten minutes. Are you telling me he got past me all the way up the pier to the Old Market and back again?" She insisted, her tone telling him he was wrong.

"I know what I saw." Mark asserted, confident in his knowledge of the facts and his own eyes. 

"You didn't, Mark, because he was with me!" She told him again. "And I told you before, I did not break up with Pete to be with Jack. I broke up with Pete because I didn't love him enough to marry him, and quite frankly, Mark, even if Jack had cheated, I wouldn't go back to Pete. I am not a commodity to toss off to the man you see suitable for me if my chosen relationships fall through." She looked at Pete for a moment before she added, "No offense."

Pete sat down in the empty seat. "Sam, baby, I always told you he had an unnatural hold over you. Can't you see he convinced you not to marry me and carried on affairs behind your back."

"Stop calling me that! I'm not your baby!" She snapped back. "And Jack never discouraged me from marrying you, despite my best efforts to give him ample opportunity to. All he ever wanted for me was to be happy."

"Carter,” Jack said quietly, as he placed his hand over hers, Mark was annoyed when he saw just how easily she relaxed into his touch.

"Get your hands off my sister!" Mark snapped at him, half getting up from his seat.

"Mark!" Jess said surprised by what he was doing and pulled him back down into his chair.

"I'm sure there's a logical explanation to all this." Jack said calmly, while Sam shuffled closer for comfort.

"I'm sure there is." A voice came from behind them, one very similar to Jack’s.

All eyes swung round to the new visitor. Mark's eyes darted between the two men. He blinked several times as if trying to check his vision. What the hell?

"Mac!" Sam exclaimed, jumping from her seat and rounding the table to greet him.

"Hey Bub." Jack tried to smile despite the confusion at both his cousin’s sudden appearance and Mark’s accusations.

"Hey Cuz." He smiled as Sam reached out for a hug. "Hey gorgeous!" He grinned before they kissed giving a dramatic smooching sound, clearly not a romantic kiss but affectionate all the same. Mark looked back at Jack, who was clearly okay with her friendly embrace with his doppelganger. "I heard you finally gave this loser a chance, huh?" He said, giving her a bear hug and with a nod to his cousin. "Don't let this one go, Jonathan. I like this one."

"I have no intentions to." Jack confirmed, smiling at his cousin. Mark shook his head as the resemblance between the two men was reinforced and the relationship between them revealed. 

"Shame." Mac joked with a grin on his face.

"You're MacGyver?" Jess asked, surprise in her voice. “Jack’s cousin?”

"Yes, ma'am, you must be Jess Carter?" Mac asked, releasing Sam from the embrace as he turned to shake her hand.

"Yes, thanks for coming, MacGyver." Jess blushed as she received the full MacGyver attention.

"Please it’s Mac."

"Wait! What?!" It was Mark’s turn to be confused.

"Oh, did I not say? I tracked down Mac's number in LA. I called him and asked him down for dinner."

"Happy coincidence really." Mac said, looking first at his cousin and then Sam. "A Native American artifact was anonymous dropped off at the think tank yesterday. And my contact here is somewhat of an expert in them. He has a stall in the market right next to the train station."

Jess put the two together first. "The Old Market?"

"Yeah." Mac said with a nod. "I actually helped his tribe a few years back with a problem. Their reserve was defined by a river, which had actually been diverted after a treaty was signed, but the exact wording and original map was somewhat lost in history. I helped them recover an original map and was able to stop a power planet from being built on land they considered sacred. But I digress."

"You got there about lunch time?" Jess asked before turning back to glare at her husband.

"Ummm yeah." He said, a question in his voice, looking down at Sam then over at Jack who had a bemused look on his face as the pieces of the puzzle came together.

"Mark saw you." Jack said almost laughing. Jack’s reaction suddenly made sense as realization came across Sam's face. "He thought you were me." 

"Oh, oh well-- easy mistake." Mac nodded, still looking confused, his expression almost identical to the one on his cousin’s face a few minutes earlier. He let go of Sam and put his hands in his front pants pocket and bounced on his toes, an action that many at the table had seen Jack do himself. 

"Wait, you knew Jack's cousin looked exactly like him?" Mark asked Sam.

"Oh, well, they look a little alike. I guess there's some family resemblance." She said, not understanding Mark’s question.

"Some!" Mark exclaimed. "Sam, they're exactly alike! They could be twins!" 

"That’s an exaggeration. Mac’s carries himself completely differently to Jack,his hair is different, his eyes are different--Why can't anyone but me tell the difference?" Sam’s eyes looked up as she said quietly, which made both Jack and Mac laugh and Jess whisper to her husband.

"She's a woman in love. Of course, she can tell the difference." Jess whispered, clearly angry with Mark.

"Oh my God, Jack--" he said, looking at him. "I am so sorry! I thought… I didn’t realize… I should have known better." 

Jack smiled and shook his head. "Hey, easy mistake." Jack admitted, giving Mark a break. 

"I think I need some fresh air." Sam muttered quietly and excused herself from the group.

"Did I miss something?" Mac asked.

"You're going to need to sit down." Jack told Mac with a grin. 

"I… umm, I better go and talk to Sam." Mark said quietly, excusing himself to go and find his sister.

Mac turned to Pete and said confidently, “Hey mister! I think you’re in my seat.”

Pete started to protest. As he started to speak, Jack stood up and went into full military mode and went to stand next to his girlfriend’s former fiancé. “Shanahan, I think it would be best if you left and that is not a request.”

Sitting at the table, Jess started to laugh with herself about the sight of two Jack O’Neill’s, standing, bookending the smaller man who clearly was out of his depth.

* * *

Mark found his sister just outside the restaurant wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Sam." He said to her softly.

She shook her head. "Times like this I wish I'd kept up my rebellion of smoking." She told him, still clearly upset.

"You coughed every time you had a drag, you never smoked." He grinned in remembrance. "I remember coming into your bedroom and you had that boy there, um--"

"Blake."

"Blake, yeah." Mark smiled. "He smoked."

Sam chuckled. "Every time I smell a cigarette, I still think of him." 

"Did you two ever--" Mark started.

"Ew! No, God, I was fourteen!" Sam exclaimed in horror.

Mark shrugged. "I was fifteen."

"No, just no, and no I never got the hang of smoking." She told him. 

"I remember telling dad." Mark said.

"And then I got grounded for a month." She nodded. "Not sure how the General was planning on carrying through on it though."

"Yeah, he wasn't there." Mark said. "I jumped to a conclusion just to get you in trouble." He admitted. "Just like I did today."

She shook her head before she looked straight at him as she tried to compare Mark’s actions today to those from their childhood. All she knew for sure was that they weren’t children anymore. They were both adults and to move past this she knew what she had to do. 

"I know you don't know Jack like I do yet." Sam answered quietly, "but Mark, that’s not that part which really hurt." Sam told her brother. 

"What do you mean?" Mark asked.

"You chose to confront us in a busy restaurant for everyone to see. It was humiliating."

"It was meant to be for him."

"It was humiliating for me, Mark!" She told him. "Imagine it had been true, everyone in that restaurant would know. Everyone, Mark. We still haven't told Daniel we're together yet that's how private we are!" Her cheeks went a deeper shade of red. "All those people knowing my business… it would have humiliated me!" She scoffed "And even though it’s not true, you're still airing my private life in public, like we're in General Hospital or some other god forsaken soap where they inevitably have a screaming match in public." She shook her head again. "And then… then you invite my ex, like I'm some --some commodity to trade off to the best bidder. And what about sex hm? Do you think I would just jump in and out of bed with men?" Her voice was quiet and subdued when she said, “You should have just talked to me … alone.”

They stood silently for a moment before he said, "I'm sorry, Sam, you're right." 

Just then, Jack walked out and looked between the pair. Without hesitating he walked over to them. "Times like this I wish I still smoked." He joked as he got closer, which made Sam laugh and Mark look at him surprised. "Gave up years ago. In fact, the year before I met Sam." He looked at Sam, a tender look in his eyes. "You know what you need?" He whispered, putting his arm around her shoulders to draw her close enough for her to snuggle against him and letting her nose snuggled into his sweater. 

"No, what?" She asked him, breathing in his scent, and allowing it to calm her even more.

"Scotch, neat, then a huge steak dinner." He grinned.

She smiled then nodded. "With a diet coke."

"And I think I saw a pecan pie on for the desserts menu." Jack smiled.

She chuckled softly. "Yeah." She said quietly, breathing in his calming scent for a few seconds before she excused herself to go to the ladies. “See you inside, Mark.”.

The two men stood outside together in silence. Jack looked up into the sky again, noticing the night was closing in and the stars had started to appear. Mark was about to speak when Jack said quietly. "This isn't going to work if you don't trust me."

Mark didn’t know what to say to make the situation better. Maybe an apology would be a good place to start. "I'm sorry, Jack. I really am. I don't know where it came from. Well I do. I want to protect my sister, she's not easy to protect."

"That I know." Jack acknowledged. "It's because she's fearless like an Amazon warrior."

"She's always felt like she had to be." Mark admitted. 

"She is." Jack said knowingly.

"I want her safe and loved."

"She is, with me." Jack told him softly but firmly. "But she and I aren't going to work if you don't trust me."

"Sam is with whoever she wants to be." Mark emphasised. “I know I shouldn’t try to control that.”

"And I don't want her feeling like she's keeping the peace between two families. I want her to feel as though she's home… here, and there and anywhere we, her family, are." Mark couldn't find the words but nodded "So what do you say?" Jack asked him.

"Deal. And I'm so sorry." Mark said repentantly. Jack looked at Mark as if making a decision about the man and what he had almost done. Jack knew Mark loved his sister, but Jacob, in the past, had mentioned that the man had, on previous occasions, stepped over the line. With Jacob gone, it fell to Jack to remind Mark of where that line was drawn.

Jack nodded slowly. “I’m going back in.” He stopped before taking his first stride. "Hey Mark?"

"Yeah?" Mark asked, silently thanking whoever that the older man accepted his apology.

"You best get rid of Pete before Sam gets back to the table." He gave the man the benefit of the doubt.

"Oh, god! Yeah" Mark acknowledged as Jack did turn to go back into the restaurant. 

"Just one more thing." Jack said over his shoulder, looking concerned. "There's a picture of the team plus me and Mac on Sam's wall at home. I know it wasn't moved when they were dating. I heard Pete even comment on how much Mac looked just like me." Jack said. "I'm not trying to stir trouble but… Pete did know the similarities."

Mark stood still for a moment, as flashes of conversation went through his mind. He replayed his earlier conversation with Pete. .

_ “You know for sure it was him?" _

_ "Unless he has a twin we don't know about.” _

Mark’s hands tightened into fists as he turned back to the restaurant entrance and saw Pete standing inside the restaurant entrance.

"I'll go to the bar and order that scotch for Sam." He said quietly, managing to avoid a cross over at the doors with Pete by giving him a wide berth.

Mark marched right past his “friend” who was waiting for him. As Mark stepped back inside the restaurant, Pete grabbed Mark’s arm and looked expectantly at him. "So--"

"You knew he had a cousin who looked just like him. Why didn't you say anything before now?" Mark demanded.

Pete shrugged. "What’s the likelihood it was him?"

"Did you know he was in California?"

Pete looked angry as he realized that Mark knew the truth now. Grinning at his friend, he shrugged nonchalantly and then stated. "Hey, you're the one who demanded I jump on a plane immediately and come and win back my girl." Pete stood there with a smug look on his face.

"You know I'm just starting to see how Sam finds that annoying." Mark quipped. "You might have told me, Pete!"

"Hey, I didn't know he would just turn up."

"So, you'd start a relationship with my sister based on a lie?"

"It doesn’t matter. I know we could build something real! I could show her the difference between her fallacies and what's real."

"What the hell is that meant to mean?"

"Only that your sister has a little problem with sorting truth from fiction." Pete spat. "Whatever she has with that jerk is just make believe. It’s just a crush, that's all, and she's living out the fantasy. Once she realizes the truth, she'll dump him and be left with nothing again."

"Sam has no problem with the truth!" Mark exclaimed then he looked at Pete as if he had two heads "But I think you do." He said surprised at his own final conclusion. "Dodged a bullet with you, didn't she? What do you think would happen if she stayed with you? Were you going to make her give up her job? And have two kids and become a soccer mom?"

"She wants a normal life!"

"She wants to be loved!" Mark objected. "For exactly who she is and what she does. She needs someone who'll support her." Mark shook his head. "Call a taxi and send me the receipts. I'll pay for your taxi and your flights but leave." Mark told him. "Now." 

"Don't bother." Pete scoffed. "I'm glad to be rid if you all. You're all as crazy as each other."

"Hey back off!" Mark said, straightening up.

"Gladly." Pete spit out as he pulled the door hard and walked outside pulling his cell phone out. 

Mark stood in the entryway for a few minutes for a moment of reflection. He didn’t quite believe this side of Pete. He thought he knew his college buddy, but did he really know him at all. Mark wondered whether he actually knew who or what kind of friend Pete truly was. If this were his “friend”, he would be scared to find out who an enemy was. No wonder the kids didn't like him. Thank god, Sam had walked away. 

Finally, he sighed deeply to himself and realized how much of an idiot he had been. Hopefully, Jack and his sister would eventually forgive him. He was afraid to hear what his wife would say to him once they were alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You all got me! You all knew it was Mac!


	4. Resolve and Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With all the drama, Sam couldn't be more embarassed--

Jack, with Sam’s whisky in hand, returned to the table first, joining Mac and Jess who were involved in an animated conversation. From his position at the table, Mac could see the angry confrontation between Sam’s brother and former fiancé but decided to concentrate on his dialogue with Jess. He would be there for Jack, and of course, for Sam, if he were needed but he knew that Jack had everything under control now.

Sam showed up just as Jack took his seat. Mark reappeared at the table just a few seconds after Sam. Before taking his seat, he moved over to Sam and squeezed one of her shoulders as a form of apology. Without even hesitating, she quietly reached up with her other hand and returned his embrace. Mark released the breath he didn’t know he was holding. He looked into her eyes and whispered, “I’m sorry. I was an idiot.”

Mac looked at them as everyone resettled into their seats, concern in his brown eyes, "Have I caused a problem?" Mac whispered to Jack.

"No more than usual." Jack told him flippantly. Mark listened to the conversation between cousins and realized how close they actually were. It seemed to Mark that there was more to Jack than just a dressed-up soldier.

Deliberately dismissing the drama of the past hour, Sam gave Mac a sweet smile "No Mac." She told him. "God, it’s good to see you. Is Sean with you?"

"No, he’s away on assignment." Mac admitted. "In Istanbul, Iraq, Iran-- someplace beginning with 'I'." He smiled.

"Who's Sean?" Jess asked.

"My kid. Well, not a kid anymore and I can't take any credit for him really."

"Oh?" Jess questioned. "Are you married?" 

"No!" Mac objected a little too quickly which made Jack laugh into his beer. "No, no, no no no, no." 

"We don't use the C and M words with Mac." Jack commented dryly.

"C and M?" Jess asked curiously.

"Commitment and Marriage." Sam said with a giggle.

"Oh?" Jess asked.

"Look, there's nothing wrong per se with it--" Mac said plainly. 

"So, let's get this right?" Jess asked, a smile on her face. "We have two men of a bloodline, look very similar, one could commit but won't and the other couldn't commit but would."

"Yeah, what changed there?" Mac asked them. "You never really explained. "

"You remember Henry Hayes from when we were younger?" Sam asked Mark.

"Vaguely." Mark admitted. "Dad saved his life once, right?"

Sam nodded. "Dad called in a favour." 

"The President gave you permission to date?" Mac chuckled. 

Sam thought of something that had been niggling on the edge of her brain as it was suddenly brought to the forefront at the word, ‘date’.

"Wait, Mark said he saw Jack with someone else--" Sam realised, as pieces started to fall into place. "Another blonde--" she said out loud before whispering into Jack's ear.

Jack grinned. "Something you want to tell us there, Bub?" 

"Have you replaced me?" Sam smiled.

"If I got myself a Sam Carter, I wouldn't have a problem with the C and M words," he admitted with a fond smile to Sam, "but Jack beat me to it." 

Jack put his arm around Sam proudly "Yes, well--" he grinned. "So, no wedding bells in the near future?" He teased his cousin.

"We're, um, doing okay." Mac admitted quietly. "She's um-- she's in the think tank, too." He explained to Mark and Jess.

"She's very pretty." Mark told the table, joining the conversation. 

"Yep, she is." Sam nodded. "We know her." She emphasised to Mark.

"She was called away unexpectedly. Should be in Dubai by tomorrow."

"Dubai?" Mark asked, "What kind of think tank do you work for?"

Mac bit his bottom lip straighten his features and said evenly, "An international one?"

Mac no more worked at a think tank then they did in deep space radar telemetry. All three of them knew it and knew the covers. Both cover stories were weak, but they were still working all the same.

* * *

Jess bid Sam and Jack goodnight before she shut their bedroom door. After the drama at the start of their dinner, the five of them ended up having a wonderful time. For Jess, it was probably one of the most enjoyable times she ever spent. Jack was absolutely perfect for Sam. In all honesty, she actually thought that Mark now believed that too. But first, there were matters to deal with.

"Jess--" Mark started.

"Don’t even!" She retorted, walking across the room. "I can't believe you!" 

"I said I was sorry." Mark defended. "How was I to know?"

"How were you to know?" She repeated back sarcastically. "Your Uncle George said Jack had been like a lost puppy for years! You don't get the girl you've wanted for years then immediately go out and cheat on her?"

"Look, I know. I'm sorry!" 

"And bringing in Pete? That was low, Mark!" 

"I wasn't thinking straight. I was flat out mad!"

"As a hatter, sure!" She exclaimed, grabbing her night gown, and heading into their private bathroom. 

"Look I said I'm sorry, and Jack said it was an easy mistake."

"Mark, you might have warned me! You might have confronted them in private!" Jess defended from the bathroom as she changed as Mark climbed into bed. "Sam was horrified and I can't say I blame her! Imagine your private life being aired in public like that, Mark!"

"I apologised to her." Mark said meekly.

"I'm just thankful it wasn't a fancy restaurant and people were more occupied with their own groups then our drama." She said, huffing and getting comfortable beside him. "I have a good mind to kick you out to the sofa." She murmured.

"What stopped me from that fate?" He asked her.

"The fact that you didn't cause any permanent damage." She told him and he put his arm around her. "I don't get it." She said, shaking her head. 

"What?" Mark asked.

"If you really trusted him this little, why did you tell him 'yes' just yesterday."

"Forgive me?" He asked Jess. "Believe me, I won't be making the same mistake again."

She still looked mad with her arms crossed but her expression relaxed. "Fine." 

* * *

"Eventful day." Jack whispered to her as he snuggled up against her back, his nose pressed in her hair.

"Jack, I'm so sorry. I don't know what possessed him!" 

"Hey, even if your brother had done something terribly wrong, it doesn't mean I'd expect you to apologise for it." She turned in his arms and looked up at him. "Sam, he saw me cheating on you and he told you right away. Granted the setting was a little public--"

"A little!"

"But his heart was in the right place." Jack said to her calmly. "He loves you, Sam. He wants you truly happy."

"I am!"

"Well, I'm glad then." 

She kissed him gently and whispered. "I'm so glad you're willing to put up with my crazy family." 

"I'd do anything for you." He whispered to her. 

She smiled and her hand reached his cheek and gently held it. "Right back at you." 

* * *

"Do you really have to go, Auntie Sam?" Lisa pleaded with her the next morning, swinging off her Auntie's leg desperately as her parents watched bemused again. "I feel like you just got here."

Sam picked up the girl and smiled at her. "Tell you what… get my boss to give me a week off and I'll come down for a whole five days." 

Lisa looked over to Jack and gave him an innocent and sweet look. "Oh, please Uncle Jack, you can come too, please?"

Jack had to try so hard not to laugh, if he had ever seen a child more like Sam than Lisa he would be convinced it would be Sam's own child. "Well, we'll need to see, Right now I do have a base to run and Sam is my top officer."

"Is that true, Auntie Sam?" Lisa asked.

"Well, I wouldn't say top." Sam said, going a little pink.

"I would." Jack said with certainty. Sam looked at him, still surprised and humbled. "Come on Carter, of all the people in the world, you know I know your abilities. There's no one I trust more." He turned and looked at the kids. "General Hammond might have assigned her to my unit, against my wishes--" He said with a smile appearing on both his and her lips as they both remembered their initial meeting. Mark looked curiously at them. "But it was the first time of many, General Hammond proved exactly why he got to General. I have never been so glad I was so wrong. Your Auntie Sam may be my subordinate in the field, but my superior in so many others. I hope she knows that." He nodded for a moment and cleared his throat. "She always has been and always will be my second. When I'm without her--" he looked at her and said gently "-- I'm incomplete. As an officer, as a commander and as a man."

Mark blinked in surprise as Jack’s words tweaked an old memory, long forgotten. When he was about eight years old, he had asked his father how he knew he loved his mother. He vividly remembers the look on his father’s face, a smile that was rarely seen after his mom died. "Without her, I'm incomplete." He had told the young Mark. It hit him again just how much Sam and Jack were like his and Sam's parents. He'd made peace with Jacob, but it wasn't until that moment he realized Jack was more like his dad than anyone had known. He felt tears forming in his eyes, about how he treated his dad after his mom’s death and about how cruel he had been to Jacob. He now wondered if he knew how much responsibility he must have felt at his wife’s accidental death. How alone he must have been all these years without her, and just how much his father had loved his mother.

"Mark," Jack said to the younger man, dragging him back into the present day. "Always a surprise." Jack smiled.

Mark chuckled nervously "Sorry again Jack, I know how much you love my sister."

"Hey, no problem." Jack insisted.

"Oh, Uncle Jack, you forgot the PlayStation!" David exclaimed, coming to stand next to him and looking way up.

"Yeah, about that--" he said, a grin forming and a smile coming across Sam's face. "With my shiny new job in DC, I don't think I'll have much time for gaming and Auntie Sam is going to be busy with her very own research team so I don't think we're going to have time to play on it." He shrugged his shoulders and paused for dramatic effect. "So, I was sort of wondering if you guys might like stewardship over it, with the very serious promise you'll play on it often but your parents have the final say on if and when you play on it?"

David stood and stared at Jack, eyes wide in surprise. The adults could see his brain working out what he was actually saying. "We get to keep it?"

"Well, my great Grandpappy used to say, 'there's no point in keeping a book on a shelf not to be read'. "Jack said faining wisdom which made Sam look at him adoringly. "Likewise there's no point in a playstation which isn't played, so you'll need to buy plenty of games, of course--" he continued, then looked at Mark and Jess. "If that's okay with your parents?"

"Is it, mom?" David asked.

"Can we, mommy?" Lisa gasped. "I saw one with aliens inside and I want to get it!"

Jack chuckled and whispered to Sam. "There's a cliche about apples and trees." He joked which made her laugh.

"Jack, are you sure?" Mark asked, amazed by Jack’s generosity.

"Sure, just make sure I get to play on it when I come to stay." 

"You're coming back!" Lisa squealed.

"Undomesticated equines couldn't remove me." Jack joked.

Sam laughed while Lisa's face crunched in concentration. "It’s ‘wild horses couldn't stop me’, Uncle Jack." She said, smartly.

"You remember to tell that to Murray the next time you see him." Jack told her.

"Thanks, Uncle Jack, we'll take good care of it." David said, running off towards the family room. Lisa shouted, running after her brother. "I want Jack's controller!"

The adults walked towards the rental car, Mark with Sam, and Jack with Jess.

"You know something just came back to me?" Mark tells her.

"What?" Sam asked.

"Just how much you and Jack remind me of Dad and Mom." He told her. She looked at him, surprised at the idea. "They were happy. Other than that, I don't remember much from before mom died, but I remember that."

Sam smiled. "That's quite a compliment, considering you thought he was cheating on me yesterday." She teased him.

"I'm not going to live that down, am I?" Mark asked her.

"Maybe, give it fifteen years." She joked, referring to the number of years their parents had been married. He chuckled and she continued, "Jack's forgiven you. He said your heart was in the right place." She looked at her brother before she affectionately warned him. "But next time, and there better not be a next time, make sure your head is in the same place as your heart." She told him.

"Deal." Mark agreed.

"C'mere." Sam said, wrapping her arms around her brother. "Thanks, Mark."


End file.
